Bale opener

Abstract

A take-off arm is provided for a bale opener for taking off fiber flocks from fiber bales. The take-off arm includes a housing, and a take-off unit having an axial length within the housing. A pressing element is connected to the housing via only load cells such that a contact force (F) of the take-off arm on the fiber bales is continuously measured by an evaluation of the load cells situated between the pressing element and the housing.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A take-off arm for a bale opener for taking off fiber flocks from fiber bales, the take-off arm configured to be controllably raised and lowered on the bale opener, comprising:
 a housing; 
 a take-off unit having an axial length, the take-off unit comprising a detaching roller having take-off teeth; 
 a pressing element connected to the housing via only load cells such that a contact force of the pressing element on the fiber bales is directly and continuously measured by the load cells, the pressing element comprising a grid configured with hold-down plates; 
 wherein the grid is situated below the detaching roller, and the take-off teeth of the detaching roller engage with the fiber flocks through the grid; and 
 wherein a height of the take-off arm on the bale opener is controlled based on the measured contact force. 
 
     
     
       2. The take-off arm according to  claim 1 , wherein the grid has a length that corresponds at least to an axial length of the detaching roller. 
     
     
       3. The take-off arm according to  claim 2 , wherein the hold-down plates are provided on both sides of the grid over the entire length of the grid. 
     
     
       4. The take-off arm according to  claim 1 , further comprising magnets for separating metallic impurities from the fiber bales mounted on the pressing element. 
     
     
       5. A bale opener, comprising a take-off arm according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
       6. The take-off arm according to  claim 1 , further comprising magnets for separating metallic impurities from the fiber bales mounted on the hold-down plates.